‘Arrow’ Huntress Image Released, Firefly Will Appear

The odds may have seemed stacked against CW’s Arrow, building a TV series around yet another bow-wielding youth, but the results so far have been nothing short of a runaway success. Star Stephen Amell and the show’s writers have shown enough promise to warrant a full season order, meaning fans have even more DC comic book character appearances to look forward to.

With Deathstroke the Terminator previously confirmed, it seems villain Firefly will also be making Starling City a dangerous place for Oliver Queen. How the firebug’s costume will be translated to live-action remains to be seen, but the first image of Huntress’ overhauled design is now available.

Deadshot was the first ‘costumed’ villain to be brought to life through Arrow‘s darker lens, and the treatment of the character was well-conceived. Pulling no punches while portraying a man who kills people for money may be a strong sign of the direction Arrow will head, as the newest confirmed villain, Firefly, looks to take things to an even darker place.

The appearance of one of DC Comics’ lesser-known anarchist arsonists comes from EW, and proves that it won’t just be headlining villains who will be worked into Arrow‘s fiction. As his name implies, Firefly AKA Garfield Lynns has a more than casual interest in fire. Originally a visual effects/pyrotechnics expert in the comic books, Arrow‘s version, played by Andrew Dunbar (SGU: Stargate Universe) casts the antagonist as a former fireman left disfigured from a blaze. Mental instability leads Lynns to arson, and a confrontation with Starling City’s new protector.

Firefly won’t be the only one of Gotham’s residents making an appearance, as Huntress AKA Helena Bertinelli/Wayne is quickly approaching her full reveal, coming November 14 in the episode “Legacies.” Since the modern comic book version of the anti-heroine is the child of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, how the show’s creative team handles her backstory will be analyzed by fans from the word ‘go.’

The connections alluded to (or ignored altogether) will be cause for discussion, and given the title of the episode, DC and Warner Bros. are inviting it. That speculation will have to wait until airing, but in the meantime, EW has released the first official preview of Helena’s outfit. Have a look:

Helena’s costume is a far cry from the stylized purple bustier of the comic books, which is to be expected. Arrow executive producer Andrew Kreisberg explains the challenges of constructing the new look, and what small touches have been incorporated for devoted fans:

“For the Huntress — she’s basically wearing a cape and a purple bikini in the comic. That wouldn’t play so well. So her costume is much more functional while also being sexy and you see there are also hints of purple, which ties into her comic book costume. We also think that on our show, no one is wearing a costume — they are uniforms or outfits. Also, in the comic, Helena is devoutly Catholic. You can see in the Kevlar she’s wearing on her chest, it’s actually in the shape of a cross, which we thought was really cool.

Jessica De Gouw, the actress bringing Huntress to life, has previously explained how her character will be acting as a foil to Oliver, while also willing to cross even more moral lines than the titular hero. The exact story that brings these two vigilantes together is under wraps, but Kreisberg does provide a bit of a set-up:

“What we really liked was that on an emotional level, she and Oliver are both damaged by their pasts. As we say on the show, they’ve both gone through a crucible and come out the other side. This is the way they’re coping, but somehow, Oliver has taken the darkness inside with him and is doing something positive with it. She’s taken the darkness inside her and is seeking revenge and doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process.”

The producers have at least two episodes planned for their incarnation of Huntress, leaving the door open for the future as well. While a Helena Bertinelli storyline is expected (given that she’s reportedly on a revenge kick after the murder of her family), the Helena Wayne version has always been a strong supporting character in the Batman series, so there’s no question she has the potential to be a recurring figure. And with potential connections to Bruce Wayne, not to mention her fellow ‘Bird of Prey’ Dinah Lance, the show’s writers could drop a few bombs.

What do you think of the approach to this version of Huntress? Is her character one you’d like to see as a regular cast member, as Green Arrow was to Smallville‘s Clark Kent? Sound off in the comments.